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Kinect Sports and Joy Ride previewed, in brief (video)
We've already gone a bit more in-depth with the likes of Kinect Adventures, Dance Galaxy, and Your Shape, but we also had a couple brief thoughts on Microsoft's motion-centric sports pack and cartoon racer. With Joy Ride, you'd think holding your arms out pantomiming steering would be burdensome, but in our time with Joy Ride, it really never became an issue. In fact, the one control aspect we were hesitant about going into the race -- power sliding -- turned out to be quite effortless. It made perfect sense tilting our bodies around sharp corners. It's during the windows where stunts were allowed that we discovered the full-bodied parallel to button mashing. Seriously, people were instinctively ducking jumping, twisting, and flailing hoping for some bonus points. As for Kinect Sports, Microsoft wasn't showing much of its track-and-field centered Kinect Sports title, but what we saw didn't fill us with confidence. The bowling game was particularly troubling, with numerous very random throws (that ended up in the gutter a lane over) and a very finicky depth-perception that wouldn't let us really wind up or step forward very effectively. Meanwhile, the 200 meter hurdles worked just fine, but it was also a pretty simplistic running-in-place experience that was possible a couple decades ago with the NES's Power Pad -- although Kinect makes it a lot harder to cheat. Miller vs. Miller video after the break. %Gallery-95217% %Gallery-95215%
Your Shape for Kinect preview: the path to enlightenment, one virtual step at a time (video)
Even as the Kinect-exclusive Dance Central got certain Engadget editors into the groove, it didn't resonate with all of us, so we headed downstairs for a peek at Your Shape, to get in touch with our inner Zen -- and beat things up, of course. We had a blast punching blocks, though the system only recognized strikes that crossed our own body, and some editors were tripped up by the mirrored virtual doubles the game generates. Actual yoga poses were far better done, with Kinect accurately tracking our moves with little perceptible delay. Unlike in Wii Fit, which merely measures center of balance, a joint gauge of sorts (you can see the angle of your bones) let us readily tell when we were slouching or off-kilter, and adjust our posture respectively. We broke a sweat, looked like doofuses and had fun doing it -- what more could you want? Video after the break. %Gallery-95222%
Kinect Adventures preview unearths our frightening lack of coordination
Maybe we came into it as pre-judgers, but there's nothing about Kinect Adventures that really redeems the experience in our biased, fun-hating eyes. We're not really sure if our bigger problem is with the loose controls or the actual gameplay concepts, but it's certainly a mix of both. We started out with the mining cart obstacle course, which has a certain charm in its simplicity: side step, jump, duck, and the occasional arm spread to gather tokens. These grander gestures seemed pretty easy to handle, and while we'd certainly grow bored of the game after 30 minutes or so, it would at least be a good 30 minutes of cardio. Things went downhill from those middling heights, however, with the very vague and unsatisfying block-busting ball game, that seemed hardly responsive to our quick, desperate motions (or maybe we just weren't very good at it), and the frenetic but ultra-loose controls of the river rafting. At least the teamwork aspect of the rafting game is interesting, and we'd love to see how good we could get with a dedicated partner, but there's just something about hopping and side-stepping that just can't feel as complex and comprehensive as "real" controls. In all we recognize these experiences as stuff that could only be done with Kinect... we're just not sure yet if they needed to be done. You can check out video of our miserable performance after the break. %Gallery-95204%
Kinect Dance Central preview, or how we learned to stop caring and love the groove (video)
We're gonna level with you, internet at large, we jumped at the chance to be on camera for our hands-on with Dance Central for Xbox 360's Kinect. It's not because we think we're good dancers -- we don't -- but it was subsequently decided that a lack of shame was more fun. So let's get on with the details. Menu navigation was a little janky at times, but selection was a simple swipe from the extreme right to left of an arm's length. As we saw earlier, the game is a progression of dance riffs you have to emulate with the on-screen dancers. It took until the first chorus of MIA's "Galang" to really get a feel and comfort for the pace; by that point it was easy enough to keep an eye on future moves and correct past mistakes of similar grooves. Frankly, inherent embarrassment notwithstanding, it was very entertaining. Pictures below and video after the break -- and don't you worry, we'll be going back for seconds.%Gallery-95200%
Xbox 360 Arcade to eventually be replaced by $199 new Xbox 360; data transfer cable will be $20
Liking the form factor, but not the price? You could settle for an existing Xbox 360 Elite, Pro or Arcade, as we hear the introduction of the new Xbox 360 is being accompanied by a $50 price cut on existing units, but if your heart's set on that glossy black, there's a cheaper Stealthbox coming down the pike eventually. GameSpot reports a slim Xbox 360 Arcade successor will appear after the now-discontinued SKUs sell out for the same $200 as before. Not exactly surprising, but it's always nice to know. And if you've preordered your shiny new Xbox 360 but have a older unit at home, you're going to need a little something to move those profiles, avatars and game licenses over. Should you have an Elite (or if you've upgraded your hard drive) you might find the cable you need between your couch cushions, but on the off-chance your Xbox 360 Hard Drive Data Migration Transfer Kit hit the dumpster long ago, you're not entirely out of luck. The one-way, single-use device will retail soon for $20, a mere $5 more than what it costs at the Microsoft Store -- or $19 more than used cables fetch on eBay.
Kinect, the new Xbox 360, and ESPN: highlights from Microsoft at E3 2010
My, what big showing you have there, Microsoft. We're still recovering from today and yesterday's big Xbox 360 Kinect unveiling party, but let's take a brief trip down short-term memory lane. First, Project Natal became Kinect, unveiled a handful of interesting / guaranteed-to-embarrass uses, and solidified its November release date. Then ESPN3 made an impressive debut on Xbox Live. Finally, the piece de resistance, a slimmed down Xbox 360 250GB that came (almost) out of nowhere and hits retail as soon as physically possible. Everywhere Microsoft was this past 24 hours, so were we: Liveblog Live from Microsoft's E3 2010 keynote! The new, slim Xbox 360 Xbox 360 250GB first unboxing! Xbox 360 naming guide: the new Xbox 360 vs. the Xbox 360 Original New Xbox 360 gets official at $299, shipping today, looks angular and ominous (video hands-on!) New Xbox 360 250GB now available for preorder at GameStop, Newegg and Amazon Xbox 360 Arcade to eventually be replaced by $199 new Xbox 360; data transfer cable will be $20 Kinect The new Xbox 360 Kinect port, up close Kinect priced at GameStop: $149, $399 for Elite bundle Microsoft Kinect for Xbox 360 launches on November 4 Microsoft Kinect to go on sale in November, somewhere Microsoft Kinect gets official, Video Chat announced Video Kinect: video chat and stream sharing over Xbox Live and Live Messenger Kinect in the flesh! Microsoft demos new Kinect dashboard and voice contro Other news of import Zune music heads to Xbox 360 ESPN3 comes exclusively to Xbox 360 Netflix for Xbox 360 adds search in November Galleries Eyes-on More eyes-on Press shots Unboxing Kinect in the flesh! Kinect press shots Liveblog highlights
New Xbox 360 250GB now available for preorder at GameStop, Newegg and Amazon
We had our unboxing already, but you're just days away from yours -- the new Xbox 360 is now available for preorder at the likes of Amazon, Newegg and GameStop. $300 buys you the freshly-announced Stealthbox with 250GB of storage and built-in 802.11n Wi-Fi, a Kinect-ready auxiliary port and enough vents to hopefully make RRoD a thing a thing of the past. We'd tell you to read our early impressions and perhaps wait for our full guide, but if you've read this far you know what you want -- the preorder details -- and you'll find them three times over at our source links.
Xbox 360 250GB first unboxing!
We've unboxed our first 250GB Xbox 360 (the Xbox 360 'Slim' to the layman) and we've gotta tell you: it felt good. Stand by for more shots. Update: Here they are, we've got video on the way as well. Here are some initial thoughts: The touch sensitive buttons quickly asserted themselves as not-the-best-thing-ever when we were unable to tell if we'd turned the Xbox on under the bright lights of Microsoft's setup. We're sure we'd see the green glow easily in our dark entertainment center at home, but it's a small little inconvenience -- one that PS3 owners are well aware of. The touch sensitive eject button isn't so bad, because the tray seems uber fast -- we didn't clock it, but we'd say it pops out faster than our existing Xbox. The Xbox feels just about as heavy as the existing Xbox, although the power adapter is smaller and much lighter. We booted up Alan Wake and while we were in a relatively loud room, we didn't find the Xbox to be loud at all. We'll have to get it in the labs to see how it stacks up with the original, but Microsoft obviously had noise pollution in its sights here. They worked directly with the drive manufacturer to reduce every source of noise (including air turbulence!), and dub their accomplishment "whisper quiet." This is a personal opinion, but we think it looks pretty badass in person, though not at all a wild shift from the existing look. Update 2: We've got video after the break! It's very exciting, we assure you. %Gallery-95146%
The new Xbox 360 Kinect port, up close
Microsoft has always said Kinect will work with every Xbox 360, but the new black Xbox has a special trick move -- that ExtUSB-ish port marked Aux up there is actually a special Kinect port that handles both data and power for the new motion control system. That means you'll only need one cord to set up a new Xbox + Kinect system, while Xbox 360 original owners will have to connect over USB and plug in a separate power cord for the Kinect unit. And now you know. Update: We just spent some quality time with the Stealthbox in person, and the real port is a tiny little bit different -- it's got an orange line above it. Check it below.
Xbox 360 naming guide: the new Xbox 360 vs. the Xbox 360 Original
It wasn't totally clear during Microsoft's E3 keynote, but the new Xbox has brought some name changes with it: the new shiny black console is officially "the new Xbox 360," while Microsoft's fact sheet refers to the original Xbox 360 as the... Xbox 360 Original. Clever, clever. The Original will still come in Elite and Arcade versions, which have new lower prices, so there's a chance we'll see something like the Xbox 360 Original Arcade, but hey -- that sounds like a Microsoft product name to us. We'll let you know if things change, or you can just call the new one the "Stealthbox" like us and avoid all this confusion entirely. Update: Things are changing fast -- according to a Microsoft representative, the Xbox 360 Original will still be sold while there's stock, but they're not making any more of them. Once they're gone, they're gone -- and we'd assume a new $199 variant of the new design will eventually be released to fill the void.
New Xbox 360 gets official at $299, shipping today, looks angular and ominous (video hands-on!)
At first we were doubtful that a edgy box appearing in a little Flash ad from Italy last night could be legit, but Microsoft just got real with the new Xbox 360. (That's all it's officially called -- just "the new Xbox 360.") It'll launch today priced for $299, while the old Elite will stick around for $249 and the Arcade will drop to $149. The new box is crazy sexy in glossy black with touch-sensitive buttons, and Microsoft says it's "whisper quiet," with one large fan instead of two -- the new 45nm chipset undoubtedly generates less heat to begin with. On the features front, it's got integrated 2.4GHz 802.11n WiFi, five USB ports, and 250GB of storage on a removable hard drive, although it's not a standard drive or same drive as the old console, and older Memory Units won't work, either. Upgraders can use a USB-to-Xbox hard drive connector cable to migrate to the new box, however. There's also a "custom Kinect port" on the back that looks like an HTC-style ExtUSB port, and it also seems like the power supply has moved inside the case, which is a welcome change. New Xbox 360 units are shipping to retailers now, with availability expected later this week, and MS conference attendees are actually getting theirs shipped today. If you're in Europe, don't fret, as yours is coming soon. Microsoft's official Xbox Twitter account has confirmed the console hits there on July 16. Update: We just got the official fact sheet, check it after the break. Oh, and we're calling it the "Stealthbox" to keep all the models straight. It just feels right, you know? Update 2: According to a Microsoft representative, the Xbox 360 Original will still be sold while there's stock, but they're not making any more of them. Once they're gone, they're gone -- and we'd assume a new $199 variant of the new design will eventually be released to fill the void. %Gallery-95131% %Gallery-95129% %Gallery-95133%
Netflix for Xbox 360 adds search in November
It didn't get a slot during Microsoft's just-concluded Xbox 360 press conference, but the Netflix streaming app will finally add one of the most often requested (and denied) features: the ability to search through the entire Watch Instantly library and add movies to your queue, right from the console. Proudly stating it's the first gaming console to let you update your queue without a computer (Roku does it too, but try playing Gears of War on that) there's no word on any Kinect tie-ins, probably the reason it didn't get any higher billing than a bullet point in Marc Whitten's 2010 letter to Xbox Live members. Update: As a few commenters have pointed out, it appears Netflix has been beta testing search access for PlayStation 3 Watch Instantly viewers, as shown in these pics. If you'd like to get in on the trial good luck as it seems to be mostly by chance, although creating an all new account probably couldn't hurt -- and hey, your queue was getting stale anyway. [Thanks, Michael] %Gallery-95206%
Kinect priced at GameStop: $149, $399 for Elite bundle
Microsoft didn't say a peep about Kinect pricing at its E3 keynote, but GameStop isn't being shy: Kinect is now listed on the retailer's website for $149.99. The page is dead if you try to click through from search results, so it looks like the listing may have gone up in error -- we'll see if this is the real price come November 4. We'll let you know if we can confirm anything. Update: And the hits keep coming: GameStop is now listing a $299 "Arcade Bundle" which obviously pairs a $149 Kinect with the now-$149 Arcade, as well as a $399 Elite bundle that seems to pair a $149 Kinect with the older Elite, which is now $249. So where's the bundle with the hot new 250GB Stealthbox? And are these the real prices? We'll have to wait and see. Update 2: And now Walmart's confirming the November 4th ship date and $149 MSRP. C'mon Microsoft, what are you waiting for?
Microsoft Kinect for Xbox 360 launches on November 4
What, a launch of November 2010 wasn't specific enough for you? Well, how about a Kinect launch of November 4? Microsoft just confirmed that's the day, and as of now it's looking like a worldwide launch. It will drop with 15 titles, including: Kinectimals - Nintendogs but with wild and impossibly cute animals Kinect Sports - Soccer, bowling, track and field games, a bit like Wii Sports Joyride - "Thrill of high speed kart racing, with the joy of controller-free gaming" Kinect Adventures - Jumping around and stuff Your Shape: Fitness Evolved - most amazing looking fitness game we've seen yet, from Ubisoft Dance Central - an actual, honest to gosh dance game without stupid pads -- from Harmonix So far Your Shape and Dance Central are looking the best, but Microsoft is still showing us more, and we're thinking a few of you are going to like that Star Wars game from Lucasarts. Interestingly, no price was announced, meaning Microsoft seems to be waiting to see how many US dollars the competition decides to charge. Your Move, Sony. Update: We have the full list of 15 titles after the break, courtesy of Joystiq. , which includes a new EA Sports Active.
Live from Microsoft's E3 2010 keynote!
After last night's Kinect-ic event, what on earth could Microsoft have in store for its big E3 2010 press conference? A slimmer Xbox 360? Valhalla motherboards? Hulu integration? Surely there's gonna be a new game or two in store. Stay tuned -- doors open at 10:00AM PT / 1:00PM ET and the magic starts shortly after!
ESPN3 comes exclusively to Xbox 360
The recently relaunched ESPN3 online portal is coming to Xbox 360 , as just announced during Microsoft's pre-E3 press conference. Trey Wingo and Josh Elliott from SportsCenter are on stage demonstrating with footage from a USC / Ohio State game, and of course it has built in Kinect controller support. 3,500 live sporting events, instant replays, highlights, polls all at your fingertips or by the sound of your voice. The PiP stuff will be familiar to fans who have already indulged online, but with the new control aspects (and of course, HD streaming) it could give a reasonable alternative to the existing channels. The usual requirement of Xbox Live Gold just like Netflix, Facebook, etc. is present, but beyond having a TV provider / ISP that's signed up for the package, there's no additional charge. Update: Wondering if you'll have access? Check the list of ESPN3 affiliates to see if your ISP is playing ball.
Video Kinect: video chat and stream sharing over Xbox Live and Live Messenger
Xbox Live and Windows Live Messenger are about to meet up in a very personal way -- Microsoft has just announced a new video chat service called Video Kinect, which serves as a logical extension of its brand new Kinect voice- and motion-sensing control system. But it's not just video calling, no sir, you'll be able to watch movies, news, sports, and the like together with whoever you're chatting with. Additionally, thanks to a motorized base and a new skeleton-tracking feature, the Kinect unit will also follow users as they move around the room. Yup, not creepy at all.
Microsoft demos new Kinect dashboard and voice control
Thought Kinect was just for kicking balls and making a fool of yourself? Oh now, you can now use it to do everything from find your friends and to control media playback. With a wave the Xbox 360 pops into a new Dashboard which you can manage by moving your hands around. It also supports voice control, enabling you to say "Xbox Play" or "Xbox Pause" or, you know, whatever. Easy!
Zune music heads to Xbox 360
It's not all games and motion control for Microsoft at E3 this year-- the company has just announced that the complete library of Zune music is joining the video options already available on the Xbox 360. Details are still a bit light otherwise, but you can rest assured that it's both Kinect and Bieber compatible. Update: Microsoft has now at least revealed a few more details, confirming that Zune Pass subscribers will have on-demand, instant streaming access to a full seven million tracks, and that the service will "seamlessly" integrate with the 16,000 music videos already available on Xbox Live -- if you own a video, it'll automatically start playing during the corresponding song.
Kinect in the flesh!
There she blows. Microsoft's Kinect (formerly known as Project Natal), real at last. Of course this unit isn't on or doing anything, but it is striking a sexy pose next to some other black Microsoft hardware. Hopefully it'll have an Xbox 360 Slim to hang out with after this keynote is over!
